Spectember 2024 #03: Terrible Toucan
This concept comes from @thecomiccreator who suggested a "carnivorous/omnivorous toucan":
Descended from toco toucans inhabiting savanna grasslands, Deinotukan auctorcomicus is a large stork-like bird standing about 1.2m tall (~4').
Unlike its mostly-frugivorous ancestors it's primarily a scavenger, soaring on thermals with its long broad wings and following vultures towards sources of carrion. Its massive serrated beak allows it to efficiently open up tough-skinned carcasses, and with its nostrils positioned up near its eyes it can probe around inside much deeper than other scavengers while still being able to breathe.
It also opportunistically hunts live prey, especially during the breeding season while raising chicks, slowly stalking around on foot snatching up anything small enough to fit in its mouth and be swallowed whole.
Its beak contains an extensive network of blood vessels, which along with the large surface area make it an effective way of shedding excess heat in its hot tropical habitat – but when soaring at high altitudes where temperatures are near-freezing it's also able to shunt blood flow away from its beak to conserve body heat instead.
